


A Profound Bond

by oscarwilderobbieross



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemons, Caring Thranduil, Elves are Dicks, Fluff, M/M, Smitten Bard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-18
Updated: 2015-02-25
Packaged: 2018-03-13 16:02:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3387842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oscarwilderobbieross/pseuds/oscarwilderobbieross
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daemons are the external physical manifestation of a person's 'inner-self' that takes the form of an animal. Daemons have human intelligence, are capable of human speech—regardless of the form they take—and usually behave as though they are independent of their humans.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Before

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't resist.

Bard of Laketown had always lived his life in care of his children and his privacy, returning barrels from Mirkwood with his boat, while Hilde, his wolf daemon, lazily searched for a free spot on deck. “Those Elves sure do drink a lot.. if they drink any more, I’ll be forced to swim next to the boat.” She remarked grumpily, and Bard couldn’t help but smile. “Hey, they’re paying for our food, so you shouldn’t complain.”

 

She rose as they approached the border of the town, a low growl in her throat as Alfrid appeared, his German Sheppard next to him. “Have you come to check for illegal contraband again?” Bard asked dryly, and Alfrid gave him a look. “Standard inspection, Bard. You know how it goes, no exceptions.”

 

Bard sighed and stepped aside as Alfrid and his Daemon stepped onto the boat, the dog sniffing out all the barrels, and the man marking his paper painstakingly slow. “Right.. Well, everything seems to be in order.. move along.” Bard glanced at Hilde, who just quipped a “Thank you so very much.” Before they moved further into the town.

 

Bard shrugged off his coat as they entered the home, hanging it up and smiling as Sigrid greeted him with a cheerful “Da! You’re early. Bain and Tilda are on the town’s square.” Her own Daemon was a male wolf, even if it sometimes changed shape still, she’d come of age next year, and Bard was proud to see her Daemon as a reflection of her strong spirit. He himself had always been eager to separate from the gossiping masses is this town, Daemons mostly forming into different breeds of dogs, except for the master with his weasel. His ruling of this town was all arrogance and grandeur, but his soul couldn’t hide what he truly was.

 

He gave her a hug, and Hilde and Jon were already curled up near the fire, while he sat at the table and bend over his papers with numbers, balancing the expenses and the income, while Sigrid continued cooking. The door slammed open only moments later, and both Bain and Tilda entered the house with cheeks red with cold, and eyes wide with excitement. “Da! You have to hear this!” Tilda started, her Daemon Brennen chirping excitedly in the shape of a small bird, only to land onto the table and change into his preferred cat form again. “The king of Mirkwood is coming here, to talk with the master!” He exclaimed, and Bard frowned. “What do you mean?”

 

Bain sat down next to him, grasping his arm while Nya, in the form of a young Irish Terrier, sat near the table. “Can we go, Da? Can we go see him? The Elvenking? I hear he’s won many victories in battle, we need to see him!” Bard hushed his children, looking at them with an amused smile. It had been quite some time since he saw them that worked up about anything, and he had always been rubbish at denying them anything. 

 

 

“Alright, I suppose we could go.. I can’t promise you’ll see much, so don’t get too excited.” He couldn’t help but smile as they hugged him tightly, and even Sigrid seemed to light up as she put down the plates on the table. “I hear Elves are beautiful, and they live forever.. Can you imagine?” Bard looked at her. “I’ve never seem them, just their choice of wine.”

 

\--

 

When the day came, Bard took his children to the towns central square, where the master’s house stood, and joined the crowd who could afford to stand here instead of work. There was busy whispering, and rumor, and not everything was nice. They spoke harshly of the Elvenking, and Bard wondered if he deserved that. “Well, aren’t they all quick to judge?” Hilde asked, standing at his side, and he smiled weakly. “Did you expect anything else?” Tilda and Bain had quickly pushed their way to the front, and Sigrid had decided to follow them before they did anything reckless.

 

It didn’t take long for people to start getting more excited, and Bard couldn’t help but feel curious at the Elven guard that started filling the square, like a well organized parade. But Bard didn’t have a lot of time to feel curious, because he recognized Brennen, Tilda’s Daemon, slipping through the crowd and towards the guards. “Hilde, get Brennen, now!” He hissed, and they moved forward, but they both froze in horror as one of the soldiers picked up Brennen.

 

 

There was a hawk perched on the soldier’s shoulder, and the bird looked at the cat with an almost predatory gaze. Hilde growled at the soldier, while Bard had noticed Tilda, who was bend over like she was in pain, whimpering. No one touched another’s Daemon, unless their bond allowed it. Such an act was the highest insult, and was only done out of cruelty. Bard wondered how the Elf couldn’t know that, even in battle, that boundary was respected.

 

“ _What_ is going on here?”

 

Bard looked up, only to look away almost instantly. “Lord Thranduil..” He heard the soldier say, and a moment later the sound of a smack.

 

“You imbecile, did you truly think the Daemon of a child would be harmful to my stay here?” The king said, and Bard looked up at him. He was seated on a great Irish Elk, and his posture was extremely intimidating. But as Bard watched Tilda hug Brennen, he had to say something. “Lord Thranduil, thank you, and I deeply apologize for the actions of my daughter and her Daemon..” He was cut off by a hand, and Thranduil’s cool gaze. “No need, she is young, curious. We all were, once.”

 

“The Elvenking, welcome to our humble town!”

 

The master approached, breaking Thranduil’s gaze, and Bard flushed, stepping back. He didn’t need any more trouble from the master for standing out, as well as bothering his guests. “Kids, we’re going..” He said urgently, and once they had pushed their way to the crowd, his face was still flushed, and Bard chose to ignore it.


	2. After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is nothing but sickly sweet fluff tbh

Dwarves did not know Daemons, and with the losses they suffered at Erebor, Bard was glad for them. He had excepted his role as King of Dale, hesitantly, much like Dain had accepted his role as King under the mountain. They lived in the biggest residence Dale had to offer after rebuilding, even if the unnecessary space made Bard uncomfortable, the people had insisted on it after the battle.

 

Now it was summer, his children were outside, playing with the other children or simply finding shade from the heat somewhere, and he had a fever. The man had always been sensitive to the change of the seasons, and now he had to spend this beautiful day in his bed, with Hilde at his feet, who whimpered sometimes, vocalizing what he felt. Sigrid smiled as she entered the room, followed by Jon, and put a cool rag on his forehead. “I’ll be fine, dear.. go outside and find your friends. I can sleep it off.”

 

“Ada is here, I told him that it would be safer for his health to remain downstairs.. I doubt he’ll listen.”

 

Bard flushed, blaming it on his fever. The two men had grown fond of each other ever since they encountered each other in Lake Town, and Thranduil came to the people’s aid in Dale when they just arrived. He had spend time here after the battle, after his Daemon got injured, and he couldn’t leave just yet. He had visited Mirkwood only once, and he had promised his children he’d bring them there, but it was a long way too travel, and he wasn’t sure Tilda could handle it yet.

 

He sighed as the girl walked out of the room again, and Thranduil appeared in the doorway, the Irish Elk walking past him and touching her muzzle to Hilde’s nose, while Thranduil sat at the side of the bed, stroking Bard’s hair back. “You’re burning up, _melamin_..” The man sighed, leaning into his touch.

 

“I’m fine, don’t worry.” Thranduil looked at Hilde, smiling at her and carefully stroking through her fur. It made Bard flush even more, and he let out a shaky breath. Thranduil looked back at him, and the man realized Thranduil didn’t know how Daemons worked for humans. “It’s intimate.. when you touch her. It’s like a bond between lovers.”

 

He sat up, touching Thranduil’s cheek, staring at the man as he said “I know..” and kissed his heated face.


End file.
